Seoul was covered with at least 16 cm of snow on Wednesday, beating the city’s previous record of 12.4cm in November 1972.
The snow has caused significant disruptions across the country, with local media reporting flights grounded, roads closed, and delays to transport services.
At least one person has been reported dead in a weather-related traffic accident near Seoul.
Youn Ki-han, the head of Seoul’s Meteorology Forecast Division, said the heavy snowfall was due to strong westerly winds and a “significant temperature difference between the sea surface and the cold air”.
The cold weather comes after the region experienced a period of mild autumn temperatures.
“Just last week, I felt that the November autumn was a bit warm, but in just one week it feels like it’s turned into a winter wonderland, which was quite a contrast,” said businessman Bae Joo-han.
“So I came out onto the streets today to enjoy the first snowfall of this winter.”
